Basement Waterproofing & Drainage Case Studies: Efflorescence: What Is It, and What Can You Do About It?

Challenge

Mike's basement was not waterproof. Water was getting in which was causing mold to grow and was producing unpleasant odors throughout the home. Not only is mold in the home unpleasant to look at, but it can also be harmful to your health, creating allergic symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing. 

Thrasher Foundation Repair has previously done work on Mike's home, so he decided to give us a call again to check out his basement. Service Design Specialist, Brandon Hillman, came to Mike's home to look at his basement issues. While he was there, he discovered some additional issues on top of the mold and odor. There was efflorescence on the walls, plus the window wells were failing. 

What is efflorescence, and why does it occur?

Efflorescence is a term commonly used to describe a typically white deposit of salts formed on a masonry surface: concrete, render, brick, or mortar. Efflorescence occurs when water-soluble salts travel to those surfaces, which could be a result of a cement hydration reaction. Simply put, high humidity leads to condensation which causes beads of moisture to form and is absorbed into masonry surfaces.

Basements, especially wet ones, are the perfect location for efflorescence to appear. If you find efflorescence in your basement, it's a sure sign that your basement is struggling with moisture management. Keep reading to learn how Thrasher can fix this common basement problem. 

Solution

How can you fix efflorescence? 

The first step we took in getting rid of the efflorescence on Mike's walls was physically removing it with scrapes and brushes. But we know that this is just a bandaid on the problem, the efflorescence will return if we don't solve the problem at its root. Brandon found that the humidity in Mike's basement was 57-59%. Basement humidity should be in the range between 30-50% humidity. Getting a dehumidifier in Mike's basement would solve this problem and prevent more efflorescence from forming.

So, we installed a SaniDry Sedona dehumidifier. SaniDry Sedonas eliminate moist and smelly odors, cost less to run than other dehumidifiers, filters out dust and particles, and can remove up to 95 pints of water a day! After we fixed the moisture problem in Mike's basement, we moved on to address the failing window wells. 

We installed six PolyWells* on the outside of Mike's home to protect his window wells. PolyWells ensure that water cannot seep through those basement windows and damage the indoor space. Click here to learn more about leaky window repair and Thrasher's different solutions! At the end of the project, Mike said he was "happy to know his basement is staying dry."

Get a free estimate today if you believe your basement is experiencing something similar to Mike's. 

*As of 2024, PolyWell egress windows are no longer available through our services. 

Project Summary

Humid Basement: SaniDry Sedona